Many multinational companies today post large numbers of managers and professionals in assignments outside their home countries. Recent surveys indicate that the number of expatriates will increase over the next two years. Although the costs of sending associates outside their home countries is high, multinational companies continue to post associates in expatriate assignments in order to position themselves for greater global competition.
As important and costly as expatriates can be, few multinational companies take a well-organized approach to their selection, briefing, and eventual repatriation. Many companies do not have a structured procedure for selecting associates for international assignments. Instead, selection of associates for expatriate assignments is conducted by each department of the company using different techniques and criteria. The individual processes do not lend themselves to efficient or effective means for selection nor do they allow for comparison between departments of consistent variables on which to cross-reference candidates. For example, some departments may consider technical knowledge to be the most important selection criteria while other departments may consider time in position, long-term development, or intercultural capabilities to be more important. Even if the individual departments have established selection criteria, they may not use any form of assessment to screen candidates. Finally, they may not provide expatriates with any form of cultural briefing or provide assistance to the expatriates' families, if applicable.
The failure to use a structured procedure for expatriate associate selection often results in the selection of associates who are not well-suited for the assignments. Some associates may not adapt well to cultural differences. Even if an associate is able to adapt to the cultural differences, the associate's family, if applicable, may experience difficulties that affect the associate's work while on the assignment. If the assignment is successful but the associate is not repatriated or reintegrated appropriately, the company does not obtain the full benefit of the associate's experience. In many instances, the associate simply leaves the company shortly after the assignment. If the associate chooses to stay with the company, the failed assignment can have serious implications for the remainder of the associate's career and may compromise the associate's position in the company. The failure also impacts the company if the goals and objectives of the assignment are not met. Therefore, there is a need for a structured procedure for expatriate associate selection that results in the selection of associates who are well-suited for the assignment and able to meet the company's goals and objectives for the assignment.